We are officially in the final heat of summer. We’re so lucky to live in such a great state for outdoor activities, where there is so much to do without having to travel far.
Within an hour of Gorham, there are multiple parks and preserves maintained by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands as well as various local trusts, where we can fish, hike, swim, bike and play. My favorites include Sebago Lake State Park, Pineland Public Reserved Land, Mackworth Island and more.
There are also several trails right here where you can take your family for walks or a picnic, such as Gambo Preserve and Shaw Park, which overlap with the Mountain Division Trail and the Sebago to Sea Trail for longer adventures.
If you’re interested in seeing more of Maine outside of the Gorham area, our state manages over 700,000 acres of land with a wide range of recreational and educational opportunities, including 48 state parks and historic sites to visit. Twelve of those sites are places where you can take your family camping. Find more information regarding reservations on the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s website.
While out enjoying all that summer has to offer, please be mindful of ticks. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention warned in May that they expected an increase in tick bites this summer, following a record high we saw in 2024. Ticks can carry Lyme and other diseases.
To reduce the risk of a tick bite, tuck your pant legs into your socks and your shirt into your pants when walking in woods, brush or tall grass, wear protective clothing, use an EPA-approved repellent and perform daily tick checks after any outdoor activity. If you’ve been bit by a tick, you can learn more about what to do from your medical provider and submit the tick for testing to the UMaine Extension Tick Lab.
August is National Water Quality Month! Maine has nearly 6,000 lakes and ponds over one acre in size and almost 32,000 miles of rivers and streams. I’m proud to share that this year the Maine Legislature worked to protect water quality, so that we can continue to enjoy one of our state’s most precious assets. We passed legislation to align Maine’s drinking water maximum contaminant levels for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also called PFAS or “forever chemicals,” with the levels set by the federal EPA in 2024.
Since we first learned of the widespread PFAS contamination harming our environment, compromising farmland and contaminating our drinking water, Maine has become a leader in addressing these toxins in our environment. It is important that we make sure that we all have safe, clean and accessible drinking water.
We also passed legislation this year to prevent the spread of invasive species in Maine rivers and lakes. Each year, our inland waters are increasingly threatened by invasive species that endanger native fish and wildlife and the local ecosystems, recreation and tourism they support. It is expensive and challenging for individual municipalities to address the spread of invasive species, especially because watercraft operators frequently recreate in multiple regions in and outside of Maine. To help keep Maine waters clear, LD 171 expands who can inspect boats to help reduce the spread of invasive species, provides additional avenues to the commissioners of Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Department of Environmental Protection to act when there is a body of water with a confirmed infestation of an invasive aquatic plant or animal, and requires an annual report to the Legislature so we can be better informed moving forward.
You can help protect Maine’s waters and prevent the spread of invasive species by learning how to properly clean and dry your equipment. For more information on how to do this, visit the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s website.
In addition to all the woods and waters to explore close by, we are also right in the middle of our annual fair season! Maine’s agricultural fairs are a fun and educational way to spend time together and to pass on our traditions to future generations. Upcoming and within about an hour’s drive from Gorham are the Acton Fair on Aug. 21 to 24, the Oxford County Fair from Sept. 10 to 13, the Cumberland Fair on Sept. 21 to 27 and the Fryeburg Fair Sept. 27 to Oct. 5. You can find more information, including a full list of upcoming fair dates through October, on the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s website.
Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy these last beautiful days of summer. As always, please feel free to contact me at Parnell.Terry@legislature.maine.gov. I can best represent our community by hearing your thoughts on legislation and issues both in our district and across the state.
Rep. Terry is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents part of Gorham. Terry is a member of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee.